14
covers some anxiety lest there should be a general war, but opposes all concession, immediate or remote.]
(Translation.)
(THE writer) makes a communication on the 27th of the 11th moon of the 6th year of Heen-fung (23rd December, 1856). I[1] received a confidential despatch from the Great Council, forwarded express by the Board of War to Eleang, Governor-General of the Two Keang; Chaou, Governor of Keang-soo; Wang, Governor-General of Fuh-keen and Che-keang; and Ho, Governor of Che-keang; to the effect that, on the 1 7th of the 11th moon of the 6th year of Heen-fung (13th December), (the Council) had had the honour to receive the following Imperial Decree:—
"With reference to the memorial of Yeh-ming-chin, representing that the English barbarians had picked a quarrel with us, and that our troops had been victorious in two actions with them: In the course of the 9th moon (October) some of the Canton marine having seized some pirates on board a lorcha, the English barbarian Chief, Pa-hea-be (Henry Parkes), attempted on pretence that this act was matter of complaint, to revive the question of admission into the city, and ventured, in fine, to open fire upon the city and to burn the shops. On the 1st and 9th of the 10th moon (29th October and 6th November), our troops engaged (the enemy), and were victorious in both actions, killing and wounding above 400 of the barbarian villains and slaying their Admiral.[2] The patriotism and enthusiasm displayed by the gentry and volunteers of Canton had already dispirited the barbarians. Land and marine forces, numbering 20,000 and more, regulars and militia, had been moved up, and the barbarians, who have been indulging in the greatest arrogance and frowardness, will not, it is to be presumed, after the check they have received, venture on any further display of lawless violence. The Americans, French, and other Western nations,[3] being sensible that the English barbarians are in the wrong in this quarrel, do not choose to cooperate with them, and as they are thus wholly unsupported as well (as defeated) there is a reasonable possibility that suffering will induce repentance, and that they will desist from hostilities.
"We have this day instructed Yeh, that if the English barbarians turn from their present course of their own motion, anger (or hate) need not be carried to extremity; but if they dare to persist in their extravagance and obstinacy, peace is not to be negotiated by a conciliatory movement on our part, as this would open the way to demands for other concessions of importance. Yeh-ming-chin has been very long in charge of the Kwang Provinces, and is so thoroughly cognizant with barbarian affairs, that he will be able in all possibility to devise a proper course of proceeding.
"It occurs to us that the seaboard of Keang-soo, Che-keang, and Fuh-keen, is ground with which the steamers of these barbarians are, by long experience, well acquainted; and as precaution should be taken to defend (that coast) also against the barbarians, who, when they find themselves unable to work their will in the Canton province, may attempt to disturb other ports along it, we command Eleang, Chaou, and Ho, to give instructions privily to the local authorities, in the event of barbarian ships approaching (their jurisdiction), to take such steps as will render them secure, without sound or sign (that may attract attention). If they come to explain the circumstances of the rupture at Canton, they must be so silenced by reasonable arguments[4] that no loop-hole be left them; and seeing this, they may be minded to fall back from their undertaking as hopeless. But (the authorities referred to) are not in any way to take the alarm, as this would disturb and perplex the public mind.
- ↑ The "I" may be one of the officers whose names immediately follow. The Governor of Fuh-keen is not among these, probably because he resides in the same city, Foo-chow, as the Governor-General Wang.
- ↑ Admiral, literally, naval great soldier head, "ta ping tow," an expression commonly applied by the Cantonese here to the Governor. I never heard a northern Chinese use the term.
- ↑ "Se yang kwo," western nation, is the term by which the Portuguese are commonly known, but it is also used to mean foreigners in general, or Europeans in particular. It is remarkable that there are none of them spoken of as barbarians.
- ↑ Or by an exposition of the rights of the question The expression rendered "silenced" is very peremptory; the four words "keu le che fuh" translate literally, with reason or with the right of the question break off (their discourse and bring them) to submit."
